The present invention relates to a hair clip and more particularly to an ornamental hair clip for clasping hairs by and between two metal sheets by a spring force.
There are many kinds of hair clips known in the art, which, in common with them, include a base plate fixed to an ornamental cover, a downwardly curved spring board whose both ends are fixed to the base plate, and a retainer whose one end is pivotally connected to the base plate with the other end being releasably fixed to the base plate. For example Japanese Utility Model Publication (unexamined) Nos. 45-3321, 50-47698, 50-154195 and 57-55403 disclose hair clips of this kind.
The known clips hold hairs by and between the spring board and the retainer, and when the hairs are to be released from the clip, the end of the retainer is made free from the base plate by hand.
Because of the fact that the hairs are retained between the downwardly curved spring board and the retainer, a gap is unavoidably present between the base plate and the spring board. Owing to the presence of the gap, the clip as a whole appears as if it floats on the hair, and the gap spoils the appearance of the hair. To hide the gap from sight, it is necessary to use a relatively large ornamental cover. Nevertheless, the gap often appears into sight.
The present invention is directed toward a hair clip which solves the problem pointed out with respect to the known hair clips. Thus an object of the present invention is to provide a hair clip capable of clasping hairs against the base plate, thereby producing no gap between the base plate and the spring board.
The objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a hair clip comprising a base plate, a spring board and a retainer, the base plate pivotally supporting the retainer at one end with the spring board interposed therebetween such that the spring board is stopped from extending lengthwise at both ends, whereby, when the retainer is latched to the other free end of the base plate, the spring board is compressed lengthwise thereby to bend toward the base plate with retaining hairs against it.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show, for the purpose of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the present invention .